AnnaFaris

'Saturday Night Live' (Sat., 11:30PM ET on NBC) continued its streak of less-than-stellar episodes in this new season, though there were still a few memorable sketches in this week's installment with host Anna Faris.

Certainly one of the most potentially controversial was the 'J-Pop America Fun Time Now' college-based talk show. It was a clear send-up of Japanese stereotypes, but it was also incredibly self-aware.

In fact, Jason Sudeikis was on hand seemingly just to tell us that this was a borderline-racist interpretation of a small sect of Japanese culture. Kind of makes you wonder if they put that character in there to minimize the chances of people being offended.

So, do you want the good news first or do you want the bad news? "The good news first," you may or may not have said? Well, the good news is that after a rare four week run of live shows, 'SNL' has two weeks off to recharge. And, wow, do they need it. I mean, could last night's Anna Faris monologue have been any more phoned in? It's always a bad sign when the writing staff resorts to "fake Q&A with the audience,' but, my God, at least sometimes those can still be funny. Also, more good news: Jason Sudeikis' pal Charlie Day will be the next host on November 5, which should bring some much needed comedic inspiration. Of course, the bad news: last night's show was somewhat awful. Also, Faris introduced the show as the "Halloween show" – but where was the Halloween? Where was Hader's Vincent Price sketch? Come to think of it, where was Anna Faris? Anna Faris is funny! Why wasn't she featured more often? Regardless, thankfully, near the end of the show, there were a couple of gems. (Actually, this show, for as bad as it was overall, had my two favorite sketches of the season.) On to the scorecard...

Building models is a pretty common hobby, but Anna Faris has a rather unique take on it. On 'Chelsea Lately' (Weeknights, 11PM ET on E!) she talked about how she likes to construct miniature murder scenes and then sit and stare at them for hours.

Her latest project has been a bear attack scene, which doesn't really qualify as a murder. But clearly it's the aftermath that so fascinates her.

When Chelsea Handler asked her if she set these up to depict the moment just before the murders or after them, Faris said, "Post-murder, of course. Chelsea, come on!"

Usually when you're watching a talk show interview, it feels like something designed either for our entertainment, or to plug a project. On rare occasions, though, it becomes a chat so intimate, you almost feel like a voyeur listening in. That's what happened with Rashida Jones on 'The Late Late Show' (Weeknights, 12:37AM ET on CBS).

She and Craig Ferguson started talking about 'Project Runway,' which is clearly a show they both love and follow very closely. They started breaking down the challenge from last week -- too many beards -- and then started getting into it about how cool judge Michael Kors is.

There's something very cathartic and soothing about music. One of its greatest strengths is its ability to lift us up when we're feeling down. Anna Faris talked about how Pink Floyd once filled that role in her life on 'Late Night' (Weeknights, 12:37AM ET on NBC).

It was after a particularly hard break-up. "That 'Wish You Were Here' song was on [repeat]," she said. "I would cry and then I would watch myself in the mirror cry, and I would feel really sorry for myself."

We love that she said she watched herself crying in the mirror to better feel sorry for herself. It's such a crazy visual, and yet totally believable. Especially when she admitted to also stalking the guy at the same time. Ah youth. It makes you do some crazy stuff.

Anna Faris seemed pretty confident that her parents were employing a clever strategy to keep her a virgin throughout high school. On 'Late Show' (Weeknights, 11:35PM ET on CBS), she talked about the extensive headgear contraption she had to wear, in conjunction with braces and a retainer. And then there was the commercial that didn't make her more popular.

It did increase her notoriety around school, but not in the best way. "I looked like I was about eight, " she said. "I think I was about sixteen, which is so embarrassing. I was hired because I was chunky."

That didn't make for the most positive reception in the halls of her school, but things appear to have worked out pretty well for Faris. The commercial helped her find her career in acting, she's grown into a beautiful woman and her teeth are just brilliantly straight.

I could make another joke about how Hollywood is out of ideas, but why bother? However, as further proof of the concept, a live-action/CGI Yogi Bear movie is in the works based on the Hanna-Barbera cartoon from way back when. Dan Aykroyd will be lending his voice for Yogi and Justin Timberlake will be the voice of Boo Boo. Did anyone else just feel a cold shiver down their spine?

Anna Faris will also be in the movie as a documentary filmmaker. I like Anna Faris even when she's in crap movies, but I don't think her presence is going to make me like this one.

I'm sorry to say that this movie will likely do well and the kids will eat up. Look at Hollywood's history of similar movies (most of which have actually spawned sequels): The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle, Garfield, Alvin and the Chipmunks, Scooby Doo ... the list goes on.

I'll admit, I watched a lot of Alvin and the Chipmunks when I was little, despite all its awkward 80s animation tendencies and general pointlessness. I even kind of liked it. When the Chipettes joined the gang, bringing even more high-pitched sass, I felt no need to cry shark-jumping (probably because the phrase had yet to be coined and I hadn't gotten to that Happy Days episode).